While Shaw will never be confused with Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, or even Marian Hossa, he is just the player the Blackhawks have been missing. For all their shots on goal (averaging 40.4 per game), the Hawks haven’t had a ton of net presence. When they have, Smith has had difficulty making saves.

Of all the players currently on the Blackhawks’ roster, Shaw is the most willing to plant himself in front of the net and disrupt the goalie and his line of vision. I fully expect Joel Quenneville to use him on the powerplay for Game 6…another “must win” for the Hawks.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel threw cold water on the Chicago Cubs’ request to begin working on Wrigley Field renovations around the clock, after cold winter weather significantly delayed construction of new bleachers.